Time
by Bastille Kain
Summary: In a desperate gamble to avert the First Evil from ultimately winning the war Buffy and a small group decide to take drastic measure to insure this doesn’t come to pass. Having discovered an ancient artifact located within Cheyenne
1. Chapter 1: Right Side of Wrong

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Author Notes:

Because so many people pointed out how the story felt rushed and incomplete I reread the chapter and you guys were right. Fleshed out some parts, added a few things. Other stuff, well you guys are just going to have to wait till the next chapter, or the one after that.

Thanks for all the great reviews.

Kain

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Author Notes: Concerning Reviews

Love to get them, love reading what people think about the stories I've been posting, but when you're being critical I need a little more to go then: needs work.

Tell me what you think needs work; the grammar, spelling, plot, character interactions, use of past and present tenses.

I can't grow as a writer, make my stories better, more enjoyable for you- the people reading them- if I'm not given a clue, some small hint, as to what you feel I'm doing wrong.

If fanfiction doesn't give you enough space to address my inadequacies, or if you have questions about a story please feel free to email me privately at the email address listed below. Just be sure to clearly mark it as such, Review then story name. I will get back to you. In a reasonable amount of time even.

Thanks for your patience, thanks for reading, and thanks for the feedback.

On with the Story.

Kain

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Author: Kain

Title: Time

Disclaimer: I own nothing. The character's of Buffy, Angel, and any other show that are unfortunate enough to be used for the purpose of amusing my own warped imaginings belong to other people.

Setting: Two years after the final episode of Buffy. Third episode of season seven of Stargate SG1. (Season seven of Stargate is suppose to be taking place during 2003, but for the purposes of this story 2005. Creative license.)

Summary: In a desperate gamble to avert the First Evil from ultimately winning the war Buffy and a small group decide to take drastic measure to insure this doesn't come to pass. Having discovered an ancient artifact located within Cheyenne Mountain they mount an offensive to take control of the Stargate.

Pairings: B/S, B/S, W/T, W/K, X/A, F/D, J/D, J/J

Rating: PG-13

Feedback: Is always appreciated. Just try to keep it constructive.

Email: Kain6639@yahoo.com

Archive: If you like it that much, sure. Just be sure to let me know where it's going, and give me the credit, good or bad, for my work.

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Chapter One: Right Side of Wrong

"You figure after sleeping for a week I'd be a little more rested," Jack gripes mildly as he walks down the corridor sandwiched between Samantha and Daniel.

"So you're... I mean he's really going through with it?" Daniel inquires as he looks up from his notes.

Jack frowns slightly as he mumbles, "high school. Who would of thought I'd turn out to be such an egghead."

Sam looks at him curiously as she says, "you seem to be handling it better then I thought you would have. Considering..."

Jack turns his head towards her looking slightly hurt. "Hey, it's not like I've never had to deal with anything like this before. There was the crystal me and the robot me," he finishes as the three of them reach General Hammond's office.

"Of course son, take as much time as you need," the General says to a young Jack O'Neill.

"Thanks George," Jack replies. "Promise I won't be that long," he finishes. Turning around he spots the three members of SG1. "Jack."

"Jack," Jack replies.

"Sam, Daniel," he adds a little less stand offish. After a quick look he asks, "no Teal'C?"

"He's getting his shot," Col. O'Neill replies.

Jack nods slightly as he says, "I'll stop by the infirmary. See how he's doing," he says to himself. He looks back up at his older self and adds, "I won't be that long. Just gonna take a last look around."

Jack shrugs as he remarks, "hey. Take your time. Ain't got nothing else planned for today."

Willow kneels down between Buffy and Kennedy almost directly across from Faith. Her left arm was resting on her knee as she breathes deeply trying to gain her breath as Kennedy holds her right hand. Dawn squats down opposite Buffy, between the two darker brunettes. In the middle of the five girls, above one of the most heavily defended military bases in the world, was quite possibly the only undefended way into Cheyenne Mountain.

It wasn't so much that it was undefended. It was just that nobody was suppose to know it exists. One lone air shaft sitting on top of a mountain. Plus the mountain itself was crawling with soldiers, and the cross country hike would be more then enough to keep just about anybody else from even thinking about what they were planning. For three slayers, the key, and one of the most powerful witches in history. It wasn't even a bump in the road.

Buffy's eyes are hard as she stares out over the landscape. Hard enough to reduce stone to powder with nothing more then a glance, but then again her eyes have been like this for nearly a year now. It hasn't been a good year for the young woman. After her son's disappearance, her frantic search, scouring heaven and earth, only to reveal next to nothing. Not even Willow's magic had been able to find a single trace of the three month old baby.

The child was just gone, taken one night. Stolen from his crib right out from under her nose.

Life hadn't allowed her to mourn though. Always there was something... Some new crisis that called for her attention as war raged on. A war that was slowly, inexorably burying them under an avalanche of darkness. A war that wouldn't allow her to grieve over the loss of her child any more then it allowed her to mourn the death of his father. Let alone any of the others that had fallen over the years.

For a year now she has thrown herself into pushing the First back wherever it would crop up. Only it was like trying to fight a thousand different batles at once. Quell one hotspot and a dozen more crop up overnight. No matter how hard they fight, how many of them die, or how many demons they slay, it wasn't doing a damn thing to slow the First down.

"Are we really sure we want to be doing this?" Faith asks her companions.

Buffy looks at her, mildly surprised by the comment. "You really have changed," she murmurs quietly.

"I'm still a wanted felon remember," Faith replies in a dark voice. "Last thing I need on my record is treason."

Dawn shakes her head just before saying, "don't worry. They'll probably shoot us all long before they bother arresting us."

Faith shoots her a disgruntle look as she responds, "you're just a barrel full of sunshine?" She asks the question without a hint of malice or even a trace of anger as a ghost of a smile slips over her lips.

The thin golden brown hair girl rolls her shoulders as she replies saying, "I try." A mischievous smirk lighting her eyes.

The second oldest slayer gulps lightly but otherwise tries to ignore the hungry look in Dawn's eyes as she continues with what she had been saying. "Look this is a government installation we're talking about strolling into and taking over..."

"Not like we haven't done it before," Buffy remarks confidently.

"Speak for yourself," Kennedy mutters.

Buffy glances at Willow, ignoring the younger brunette, asking, "did you really have to bring her along?" Even after knowing her for more then two years now, with them working side by side, she still didn't like the raven hair brunette that much. As far as she was concerned Kennedy would never be good enough for Willow.

Kennedy glares at Buffy who just smiles tightly. "Are you two ever going to get along?" Willow demands in a huff getting irritated with the attitudes of both her girlfriend and her best friend.

Buffy shrugs as she answers saying, "probably not."

Faith growls slightly pulling everyone's attention back to her. After a couple of seconds she finally starts speaking again. "Look all I'm really asking is, is it worth it, is that artifact you keep going on about down there, and can it do what you claim?"

"That's three questions," Dawn informs Faith with another smirk, which earns her a stern scowl from the escape convict. She couldn't help but bait Faith when she makes it so easy for her.

"Yes. Yes. I don't know," Willow answers, "but from everything I've uncovered it was designed to work in conjuncture with the key somehow," she finishes.

"Its the only choice we have Faith," Buffy picks up. "Back in Sunnydale I thought we had won. That we somehow managed to cripple the First Evil, but as it turns out that was barely a skirmish. The First had us hamstrung before we ever knew we were under attack. It had been killing off potentials for close to two years before we knew. Ten girls a day, none of them ever knowing what they might become, leaving us with only a handful to make our army. If that artifact, that Stargate, or ring of the gods can do what Willow suspects we can turn the tide of battle before the war is truly on us."

"You do like to hear yourself talk don't you?" Kennedy asks as soon as its clear Buffy was done giving her mini speech.

"Would you like to carry Olaf's Hammer?" Buffy asks too sweetly reminding the young slayer of what had happened when she tried to pick up the troll hammer. So far only Buffy and Faith were strong enough to carry the heavy weapon and only Buffy could wield it properly. "Does everyone know what their doing?"

"Sure, Red pops all of us into the armory. She works her mojo on the computers while we grab a bunch of Zat things..."

"Remember one shot only," Willow reminds them. "Two shots will kill."

"Right," Faith says with a tight glare at being interrupted. "Then we all work our way to the gate room."

Buffy nods as she says, "no matter what. Willow and the scythe have to get back."

Faith grins lightly as she says, "and just think. If this doesn't work out we all get matching orange uniforms."

Faith staggers slightly as the armory coalesces around the five young women. Putting her hand on a nearby crate she manages to steady herself. "Sorry about that," Willow apologizes. "It takes a little getting use to."

The raven hair slayer straightens up pushing the wave of nausea back down. "And you couldn't mention that before hand?" She mumbles sarcastically.

"Kennedy, watch the door. Dawn, Faith find those Zats. Hurry up Wills. We don't know if their security is going to be able to pick us up, or how long it'll take them to respond," Buffy urges the group.

"Found them," Dawn calls out as she locates several crates full of Zats along with their specially modified holsters.

"Good going," Faith congratulates the young girl.

At the rooms sole computer console Willow's lean fingers seemingly melt into the keyboard allowing her mind to override the computer's core programming, rewriting key sections to serve her purposes. Almost two minutes later she withdraws saying, "there. It's done. In two minutes every single door in the base is going to lock, hopefully most of them will be closed with people inside of them. The computers are going to freeze up, I left the ones on in the infirmary," she adds with a shrug. "Comms will go down. If everything goes right we'll have a clear path from here to the control room. Until I access the computer there the base will be dead."

"Wish you wouldn't use the d-word Red," Faith complains. "Couldn't you have said dark instead."

"How are we suppose to get into the control room?" Kennedy inquires. "If the doors are all locked."

Buffy smirks darkly as she pats the head of the hammer sticking up over her shoulder. "Don't worry. I've got the ultimate lock pick."

"Well this sucks," Jack gripes as he kicks the sealed door locking him, him, and the rest of SG1 inside the gate room. It had only been a few seconds since the high pressure, pneumatic steel doors slid shut for no reason.

"Tell me about it," young Jack agrees. "Isn't there something you can do to get that damn door open Carter? Either of them?"

Sam shrugs her shoulders as she says, "the computers have locked them down sir. Until the computers tell the doors to unlock we're stuck here."

"But why would the computers tell them they need to be locked in the first place?" Daniel questions as he moves back far enough to see into the control room.

"A glitch in the system," Sam replies.

"Would it not also be a useful ploy in taking control of the base?" Teal'C inquires.

Sam nods as she says, "sure. But in order for someone to do that they'd need access to our computers and unless somebody is able to turn invisible, flawlessly duplicate or impersonate base personal, or somehow teleport inside I don't see how anyone could..." Sam begins but falters under Teal'C's highly expressive arched eyebrow.

"Are not all of those examples of times when the base has been compromised?" The large warrior inquires diplomatically.

"Somebody wouldn't happen to have a radio on them? Maybe a can with a piece of string attached to it?" Jack asks the group in his too calm voice. "Cause you know with the comms being down either one of those two things would come in real handy right now," he adds sarcastically

Sam pales slightly as she quickly moves over to the intercom pressing a button. "Tried that," Jack informs her. She hits another one, "that one too," Jack continues.

"Sir," Sam growls lightly at her annoying superior officer. Jack raises his hands in surrender before backing off slightly. "This doesn't make any sense. Everything was fine this morning when the techs swept the system for viruses and bugs. It was clean. It shouldn't be possible for somebody to upload a virus into our systems, we have programs design..." She grumbles to herself as she begins work on the intercom panel.

"Possible or not," Daniel says pointing towards the window. "That looks like what someone has done."

Everyone one else looks upward to see the computer technicians frantically moving around the control booth. "Well this sucks," Jack repeats in a harsher tone. "Are you sure you can't get that door open?"

"I'm trying sir," she responds. Young Jack gazes at her with a hurt look in his eyes. Sam rolls her shoulders apologetically before she continues to work on the control panel.

"So much for a clear path," Faith mutters as she lays down a barrage of Zat fire at the contingent of soldiers that just came around the corner they need to traverse in order to get into the gate room. At the same time that she opens fire so does Buffy and Kennedy filling the corridor with blue lightening. Before the soldiers have a chance to react half a dozen are already down.

They had been travelling through empty hallways for almost three minutes and the path had been clear. Until now. "How many are left?" Buffy calls out above the echo of the shrill fire.

"At least a dozen," Kennedy answers.

Buffy purses her lips for a second before coming up with a plan. "Kennedy. Keep laying down a cover fire. Faith, you take right, I'll go left. Once we're engaged get your ass down there Kennedy," Buffy orders as she keeps up her fire.

Kennedy gives a slight jerk of her head.

Buffy smiles as she looks at Faith. "Ready?"

"As I've ever been," the cocky brunette answers.

With that the two oldest slayers break for the T section twenty yards ahead. At the same time the barrage of Zat fire seem to intensifies keeping the soldiers pinned down, despite there only being one person pulling the trigger. Little more then a second later the Zat fire stops as Faith skids along the floor, like a baseball player sliding into base, while Buffy jumps high, vaulting forward. Her feet hit the wall and without breaking stride she turns the corner.

Buffy tears into the seven soldiers with a cool, methodical precision she has spent the last year mastering. The adrenaline surging through her veins taking control. The soldiers, like the demons she normally kills, are nothing but an obstacle that needs to be removed from her path.

Faith slides into the intersection she presses her hands down into the concrete floor and pushes herself upwards to flip over the eight soldiers on the right hand side of the intersection. They all gaze upward in fascination as the girl twist in midair to land facing them. A bare fraction of a second is all the time they have before Faith tears into their ranks.

The soldiers put up a valiant struggle in the close quarter combat against their inhuman attackers. Only it was like trying to fight a force of nature, a whirlwind or a tidal wave. Either they weren't there when you struck out against them or they simply roll over you as if you were nothing more then a gnat to be negligently swatted away. Even when a solid punch or kick strikes true it has about as much effect as if it had been used on a tidal wave.

Still they fight on. Even after it becomes obvious they are no match for the women attacking them. It is their charge, their duty, and if necessary, their right to die in defense of their country. Their world.

Moving faster then the human eye can follow the two slayers toss the trained soldiers around like they are nothing more then rag dolls barely worth their effort. Then Kennedy begins taking them down from behind. Within a matter of seconds fifteen elite Air Force soldiers have been laid low by the three slayers.

Willow catches the brief but meaningful look of concern, worry, and anxiety that passes between the formally psychotic, evil slayer and the young, almost nineteen year old girl- that prior to five years ago didn't exist- as her and Dawn race up to the T section. She quickly glances at the tiny slayer, but she was already focusing on the corridor ahead.

The petite witch hates keeping these things from her best friend, but neither Faith or Dawn want Buffy knowing about the change in their relationship. At least not until Buffy has recovered from her most recent loss. If she ever does recover from the loss of her son. Stolen in the dead of night and presumably murdered just about a year ago. It was the only way that would account for her not being able to find him. So for the past six months her, Kennedy, and everyone else that knew were keeping their mouths shut.

"General Hammond, Sir." A breathless voice calls as young soldier rushes into his office. Hammond looks up at the hard breathing, red face airman that just burst through his open door as he salutes. "The base has been infiltrated," he manages to say through gasps for oxygen.

"What?" He exclaims rising to his feet, "how come I'm just hearing about this now. Why the hell hasn't the alarm been sounded."

"None of it's working," he responds quickly handing the General a field communicator and a P-90. "The phones, all internal communications are out. We've been locked out of the computers, can't turn them off, can't do anything with them. Most of the doors, all the ones that were close, have been locked electronically. All but a few of the blast doors have been sealed. I've sent runners rounding up the base personal with orders to head to the armory, gather as much gear as they can, weapons and comms, and distribute them as they come across base personal."

Hammond nods as he puts the air peace in, "what's our situation as it stands now?"

"Reports have it a group of four or five young women, armed with Zats, and what's described as a large hammer and strange looking ax, heading for the gate room."

Hammond's scowl deepens hearing the news, "has anybody been able to engage them yet?"

"A few brief engagements. A contingent of over twenty, they managed not to kill anyone," he answers sounding relieved.

"Good then we can question them and find out just what the hell they were trying to accomplish here," he responds in a voice hard enough to crack boulders.

The airman shakes his head as he clarifies his previous statement, "no sir. The girls didn't kill anyone sir." General Hammond blanches, his complexion whitening while his face conveys his shock quite clearly for a moment. Then it hardens making a block of steel look soft in comparison. "The reports I've been receiving, sketchy as they are, claim at last three of them are superhuman."

"Goa'uld?" He demands his face hardening even more if that is possible.

The young airman shrugs as he replies, "I don't know. I don't think so, but... As far as I can tell they're going out of their way not to kill anyone."

"Not a trait the Goa'uld are known for," Hammond agrees with a slight nod of his head. "So we have an unknown alien presence heading for the Stargate."

"Yes, sir," he replies as Hammond heads towards his open office door.

"Well come along son. We have a hostile invasion to put a stop to," the General orders with an air of confidence he doesn't feel. He was glad that he had decided to keep the door open while he was doing routine paperwork. The thought that his base might be taken over while he was helplessly trapped out of the way rankles him almost as much as the thought of his base being invaded in the first place.

The steel door crumples, bursting inward under the force of the hammer swung by Buffy. She quickly jumps back just in case there was any gun fire from within.

With her hand stretched out in front of her Willow steps forward as several shots ring out. The bullets fall harmlessly to the floor as black light shoots out of Willow's hand immobilizing the two soldiers.

"Faith, Kennedy. Nothing gets down that corridor," Buffy commands as she steps into the room.

Kennedy stares at Buffy's, scrunching her up face she mouths Buffy's last orders. Her childish actions causing Faith to laugh softly.

"Buffy," Dawn whimpers in a tiny voice. Everyone turns to look at the young teenager, that until a few years ago didn't exist. Her complexion had become very pale as jade green electricity arcs between her fingers. She grimaces slightly as she says, "it hurts."

Buffy quickly grabs her little sister before she can fall to the floor. "It's going to be okay. Once we're on the other side we'll get you clear of the gate and you'll be fine," she promises soothing back her hair.

"You always were a lousy liar," Dawn murmurs softly. As she begins concentrating on one thing. Getting back to her mother. To see her again after all this time.

"I'm not lying," Buffy replies fiercely. "Willow," she calls out desperately over her shoulder.

"Almost there," she replies looking down at the Stargate, her hands once again melting into a computer keyboard, the same greenish lightening arcing over its circular surface.

"Ken can handle the corridor," Faith tells Buffy. "I've got her. You go take care of what you need taking care of," she says softly taking Dawn from the tiny blonde.

Buffy catches the soft, melancholic look in Faith's eyes as the younger girl takes her sister from her. She gives a short jerk of her head as she releases her sister and quickly steps away not having the time, or the inclination, to deal with what she thinks is going on between the two of them. If they manage to survive though she has a thing or two to say to them.

From below most of the members of SG1 see the first two sigils lock into place. Samantha continues working on the control pad trying desperately to get the sealed blast doors open with no success.

Young Jack and Daniel look up just in time to see a blond hair girl appear on the other side of the bulletproof window. She suddenly raises a large hammer and levels a mighty blow at the window. Until the window shatters outward, showering the concrete floor with fragmented glass, they had thought she was slightly insane.

"I guess that's one way of getting around a locked door," Daniel mutters as he uncovers his head.

The other members of the elite team were doing the same when the sound of glass crunching under someone's feet was heard by everyone. A third symbol locks into place. The sound of a Zat firing at a high rate of speed from the control room add to the sounds filling the gate room.

"I cannot allow you to pass," Teal'C declares barring Buffy's path.

Buffy's eyes seem to glint as a dangerous light fills them. She slips the hammer back into its makeshift holster on her back. "That's really too bad big guy, because me and my friends... We're going through that little circle thingy and there isn't a damn thing you can do to stop us."

"Indeed," he says and attacks without warning.

He was fast, Buffy had to gave him that. Nowhere near as fast as the vampires and other demons she deals with on a regular basis. Nowhere close to her own speed, but he was faster then the average, ordinary human.

She blocks his first punch, ducks under his second. Her back kicks sends a forty-five year old Jack O'Neill sailing into the concrete wall, where he bonelessly drops to the floor. She spins around Teal'C, her right leg coming up in rising crescent kick that clips Daniel in the chin flipping him over sideways in a hard but nearly flawless cart wheel. She slips a punch thrown by Sam. A short uppercut to the slightly taller blonde flips her over twice before her back hits the concrete floor. Continuing her spin, she comes around just in time to drive Teal'C's arm down. Grabbing hold of his thick forearm she flips him up and over slamming him into the ground with stunning force. Coming back up she stops the punch that was cruising towards the teenager's face before it makes contact.

Jack however has no such compunctions about stopping his punch. It smashes into the side of her face and his arm stops dead as she doesn't budge. "Ow!" He cries out pulling his hand back, shaking it fiercely, as if he had just punched a steel wall.

While Jack shakes his hand Buffy wonders just what a kid is doing inside one of the most heavily guarded secrets the U. S. Government has. A sixth symbol locks into place on the Stargate. Just then Faith drops silently to the ground cradling Dawn's light body in her arms.

"She ain't got that much time left B," Faith says solemnly.

"It'll be enough," Buffy replies as the final symbol locks.

The event horizon explodes outward and then like it allows does, flows back into itself. Only this time it wasn't the normal ocean blue that it usually is. Like the lightening crackling over it's surface the event horizon has taken on the same jade coloring. A moment later Willow floats silently to the floor. A second after that the sound of Zat fire stops and another quick second passes before Kennedy drops to the floor.

"This is it," he mutters in wonder. "Five girls have done what countless alien invasion forces haven't." Of course if the others could fight even half as well as the blonde, taking SG1 down in mere seconds, it wasn't that hard to see how they had managed it. Then Willow glances back at him, her glossy black eyes glinting sinisterly in the pale light causing him to reevaluate his opinion drastically.

"Everything's set to go," Willow tells Buffy.

Buffy nods as she says, "Kennedy, Will. You two go through first, secure the other side of the gate. Faith you get Dawn out of there as soon as you get through."

Kennedy pulls Willow into a tight embrace and the two lovers share a hard, passionate, and extremely fiery kiss. Breaking apart they share a brief smile before turning and stepping through the event horizon of the Stargate together.

Faith waits a brief second before following them through as Buffy un-slings her hammer. With a glance over her shoulder at Jack she says, "since I doubt I'm ever going to see you again kiddo. Have a good life." With that she twirls around in a tight circle and heaves the hammer through the Stargate at an upwards angle and then jumps following it through.

Jack pounds his hand on his thigh as he bites into his lip. He didn't even think she knew what her actions were going to do. If Sam hadn't explained it to him then he wouldn't have known either. They had dialed in Earth, but the only way they could connect with Earth was if they were dialing the future or the past. One it wouldn't matter, the other would more then likely wipe out everything that comes after the point they enter. Meaning him, everyone he knows, wouldn't exist and he was powerless to stop it. "We'll see about that," he snarls rushing up the ramp.

"No!" Jack shouts as he sees his young clone jump through the event horizon.

"What is it?" Daniel asks groggily pushing himself back up to his feet.

Jack tosses his hands into the air as he grumbles, "Jack, me, him. He followed that tiny, blonde, Xena wanna be through the gate."

"Colonel," General Hammond calls down from the control room.

"Sir!" He shouts back.

"What the hell happened?"

"We just got our collective asses kicked sir!" O'Niell yells just before he spins around looking for something to take his anger out on. "By Barbie and her debutantes," he adds in a loud murmur.

"A group of young woman have dialed Earth General Hammond," Teal'C clarifies an edge of loathing lacing his still groggy voice. Intellectually he knows that even with his symbiote there was nothing that he could have done to stop her. Her movements were even more fluid, more graceful, more powerful then any Goa'uld system lord he has ever seen fight. There was no shame in losing to someone who was vastly superior. Still his cheek twitches slightly as his anger seethes. 

Hammond looks around the gate room, "correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the assumption that the Stargate couldn't be used to dial the planet it was on."

"That's only partially accurate sir," Sam replies. "Remember when we got stuck in 1969?"

"Right," Daniel chimes in. "We dialed back to Earth using the power of a sunspot."

"I do not believe there are any sunspots large enough recently to facilitate such a journey," Teal'C comments earning a sharp look from Jack. The Colonel knew Teal'C well enough to know when something was bothering him, only right now wasn't the time to get into it.

Samantha nods her head as she says, "there aren't."

"Then what did they use as a power source?"

"The girl," Jack says as he remembers seeing a young girl being carried by another as he began to come to. "The same kind of electricity that's," he gestures to the Stargate and the greenish energy cascading all over it, "was doing the same thing to her."

"You mean to tell me you believe they're somewhere in the past?" Hammond demands. "How much damage could they possibly do?" He questions, the concern etching his voice prominent.

Samantha shrugs unsure of just how deep the repercussions could run. "I'm not sure," she begins with a small shake of her head. "If they just went back a couple of years maybe nothing would change, maybe everything. If they went back and helped the Nazis win World War Two or even further and helped the Goa'uld maintain their hold on Earth we wouldn't even be having this conversation. Sir," she adds belatedly.

Daniel shakes his head, "if they went into the past then we shouldn't even exist right now."

"Maybe," Sam replies. "The gate is still open so that could mean whatever created the link between the two gates is still maintaining it."

"Meaning you'd have a chance to stop whatever it is they're trying to accomplish."

"It could be a one way mission," Daniel remarks.

"And if the gate shuts down we may all just go swish," Jack responds angrily hating that his fate was once again in someone else's hands.

Hammond's face hardens as he says, "you know what you have to do. Stop them, and God willing come back home safe."

Somewhere, somewhen else.

An ear shattering, thunderous boom shakes the very fabric of reality to it's core. The ground swells, bubbles and gurgles as everything heaves. Buildings tilt, bending nearly in half as they sway like small trees in a whipping wind.

A young man, his long, unruly brown hair tied back with a piece of cord helps steady a slightly younger man, a teenager really, still two years from reaching adulthood. His hair matches the older man's in length though it is a light sun drenched brown.

The boy looks up at his elder, piercing green eyes that match electric blue in their intensity. The unspoken question of what's going on clear in his lean, arch cheeks. Cheeks that are nearly identical to his elder.

He raises a scarred eyebrow and rolls his lean shoulders in response since he didn't have an answer for the child he has raised as his own since he was first given him nearly sixteen years ago by those who call this bizarre dimension home. A boy he would have known for his own if this strange world had any reflective surfaces to gaze upon.

Even at sixteen the boy was nearly a hand taller then he was and broader through the chest and shoulders, but still just as lean in waist. It wasn't long before they would be going back to their true world. Two more years and their training for the upcoming war would be complete.

Again the world shakes to its very foundation. Only this time a towering spire disintegrates soundlessly into a thousand fragments. Instead of crashing to the ground below they fall upwards into the sky.

"It is time," a harsh sounding voice informs them as a third being manifest itself in the courtyard.

"It isn't time yet," the elder shouts back. "Another two bloody years is how long you said 'for the training was over with."

"It is time," it says again.

"We're not ready you sodding whelp," he shouts at the entity. "How do you expect to win your bloody war if you send your warriors off half trained."

"It does not matter. You have no more time here. Events unseen transpire, unfold beyond our sight. Now all stands in peril as time unravels. If you do not leave all shall have been for naught. Now leave," it finishes with a grand wave of it's arm.

A shimmering wave washes outward stretching towards them, with agonizing slowness, that they can't move in. It crashes over them, enveloping them. With that they vanish.

________________________________________________________________________

Time - Hootie and the Blowfish

Time, why you punish me?

Like a wave bashing into the shore

You wash away my dreams.

Time, why you walk away?

Like a friend with somewhere to go

You left me crying

Can you teach me about tommorrow

And all the pain and sorrow

Running free?

Cause tomorrow's just another day

And I don't believe in time

Time, I don't understand

Children killing in the street

Dying for the color of red

Time, hey there red and blue

Wash them in the ocean, make them clean,

Maybe their mothers won't cry tonight

Can you teach me about tomorrow

All the pain and sorrow

Running free?

But tomorrow's just another day

And I don't believe in...

Time is wasting

Time is walking

You ain't no friend of mine

I don't know where i'm goin'

I think I'm out of my mind

Thinking about time

And if I die tomorrow, yeah

Just lay me down in sleep

Time, you left me standing there

Like a tree growing all alone

The wind just stripped me bare, stripped me bare

Time, the past has come and gone

The future's far away

Now only lasts for one second, one second

Can you teach me about tomorrow

And all the pain and sorrow

Running free?

'Cause tomorrow's just another day

And I don't believe in time

Time is wasting

Time is walking

You ain't no friend of mine

I don't know where i'm goin'

I think I'm out of my mind

Thinking about time

Time is wasting

Time is walking

You ain't no friend of mine

I don't know where i'm goin'

I think I'm out of my mind

Thinking about time

And if I die tomorrow, yeah

Just lay me down in sleep

Time, why you punish me?

________________________________________________________________________

Right Side of Wrong - Bon Jovi

A friend of a friend needs a favor  
No questions asked, there's not much more to say  
  
Me and the wife, we need the money  
We've got four kids all hungry, one on the way  
Slip these sweat socks in your shirt and pray they think your packin'  
Be sure to keep your head down, don't look 'em in the eye  
And don't get fancy, Ricky, we ain't Jimmy Cagney  
Look at me, let's do the job and let's get home tonight  


I got a half tank of gas and if we run all the lights  
We'll slip across the border on the wrong side of right  
And just like Butch and Sundance we'll ride until the dawn  
Sipping whiskey, singing cowboy songs   
On the Right Side of Wrong  
  
We picked a helluva of a night, from the shore I see the skyline  
In a couple of hours from now Rick, we're gonna get out of this life  
We'll stop for smokes, I brought a six pack, we'll stop at lookers on the way back  
Hell, we'll laugh this off, keep your fingers crossed that all goes well tonight  
  
I got a half tank of gas and if we run all the lights  
We'll slip across the border on the wrong side of right  
And just like Butch and Sundance we'll ride until the dawn  
Sipping whiskey, singing cowboy songs   
On the Right Side of Wrong  
  
We'll make the grade, they'll know our names, I need a friend to drive here  
Wear my necklace of St. Christopher and talk to him while I go inside  
I'll take that suitcase, get the cash and we'll be gone before you know  
Wait until we tell the girls we're moving down to the Gulf of Mexico...  
  
A friend of a friend needed a favor  
Life was just what happened while we were busy making plans  
We never saw nothing, there was a run-in  
.9 millimeter steel was coming for the windshield of that Oldsmobile  
As the cop said, "Show your hands!"  
  
I got a half tank of gas and if we run all the lights  
We'll slip across the border on the wrong side of right  
And just like Butch and Sundance we'll ride until the dawn  
Sipping whiskey, singing cowboy songs   
On the Right Side of Wrong


	2. Chap 2: Nights in White Satin

__

Chapter Two: Nights in White Satin

The blaring klaxons reverberate throughout the vast underground complex. "Unscheduled gate activation," a firm, but anxious voice announces creating a flurry of activity. Armed soldiers array themselves in front of the sealed gate in a defensive perimeter.

A strange greenish electricity arcs and crackles over the iris. Over the stargate itself.

"Unscheduled gate activation," is repeated again.

Hammond storms into the control room, his face a pale mask covering the concern and slight fear that normally twist his gut at times like this. "What do we have here son?" He asks the technician on duty making sure to keep his voice firm, resolute.

Before he can respond the iris cycles open. The normally blue event horizon was a deep sea green color that matches the electrical current coursing over the stargate

Hammond's eyes widen for a brief second. "Something just overrode our system sir. It looks like someone attached a virus to the signal they sent through," he says with a slight shake of his head. "That's not right. It came from us!" He exclaims softly in surprise. "That's an SGC command override signal."

"Can you re-close the iris?" Hammond demands as he reaches for the intercom.

He nods. "It'll take a few seconds to override the override," he says beginning to punch in the commands on his keypad.

"An unknown force has opened the iris," Hammond informs the soldiers in the gate room. "Assume..."

As he begins to give the order to fire two women step out of the event horizon. Time seems to come to a screeching halt inside both the gate room and the control booth. For a brief second, before everything explodes into action, General Hammond takes in every single detail of the two women.

Both of them were petite, the brunette being slightly taller then redhead. Neither of them were dressed in some strange alien clothing, but are instead wearing the latest fashions from Earth; Doc Martin hiking boots, faded blue jeans. The redhead was wearing a long flaring sleeve blouse with a rose floral pattern, while the brunette at her side had a partially buttoned denim jacket on.

There was a sense of power radiating from the two women. Not the gentle, unobtrusive power of the Knox, or the unassuming air of command the Asgard radiate, but more the malevolent arrogance of the Goa'uld system lords.

An oddly shaped bladed weapon stuck up over the tiny redhead's shoulder. In each hand the brunette holds a Zatnicatal. She was raising them faster then humanly possible.

The redhead's left hand seems to be moving in slow motion in comparison to the brunette. Or casual negligence. While around them the soldiers seem to be standing still, or frozen, for that one, brief, all important second.

"Fire!" Hammond shouts into the intercom and time seems to lurch forward.

Inside the gate room violence erupts. The redhead's eyes shift from green to black in the space of a heartbeat. The brunette fires two shots simultaneously hitting the two man manning the fifty caliber machine guns on either side of the ramp.

Automatic machine gun fire explodes just a bare moment too late as the heavy rounds blister a bluish colored shield. Hammond blinks as he slams his palm down onto the button to lower the blast screen. As far as he could tell the woman wasn't wearing any kind of hand device. It was almost as she was generating the shield herself.

Unlike Goa'uld shields that cause high velocity ricochets this one stops the bullets dead a second before they drop harmlessly to the ground. The shield did nothing to stop the high speed zat fire from exiting as the brunette fires the weapons at a rapid pace decimating the soldiers trapped inside the gate room.

Hammond turns to the young technician. "What's taking so long with that iris?"

"Iris closing now," he answers pressing a final button.

Willow turns her head sharply as she hears the iris begin to cycle close. "I don't think so," she mumbles darkly as her right hand shoots up. She didn't know if she could stop it, but she wasn't about to let close without giving it everything she has to keep it open. She had buried far too many friends in the nine years since first meeting Buffy. There was no way in hell that she was going to add three more to that list.

Buffy's plan be damned.

Her hair turns black as she delves into the deepest, darkest recesses of her power. Drawing on all the anger, pain, rage, and agony she has experienced in her life. Jets of black fire leap from her hand connecting with the iris, slicing into the titanium, peeling it back like it was soft butter being carved with a white hot knife.

She screams. A roar of pure power that shakes the mountain to its very core.

"My god," the technician sitting in front of the monitor whispers.

"Sweet mother of Jesus," General Hammond murmurs humbly as he struggles to maintain his balance and still watch the monitor.

"Energy readings are off the scale," he blurts out. "Every measurable form," he adds giving his head a definitive shake. "Nothing human can do that," he says after a slow beat.

"Shut the gate down," Hammond shouts after recovering from his initial shock. "If she's trying to keep it open it can only mean there are even more of them on the way through."

The young technician quickly punches in the command codes to turn the power to the gate off. Nothing happens. The gate stays open the greenish surface seeming to mock them. "Its not shutting down," he remarks. A look of incomprehension on his face. "They must have they're own power source."

Willow drops to her knees, a wave of exhaustion washing over her for a brief second. Drawing on what little reserves she has left she solidifies her weakening shield. Without that Kennedy would be a sitting duck for the nearly dozen soldiers still conscious in the gate room.

She has to give them credit. Out matched as they are they still weren't giving up. They were still fighting tooth and nail despite their hopeless situation. Of course if she passes out from exhaustion their situation wouldn't be all that helpless anymore.

Faith steps out of the event horizon, a nearly lifeless Dawn cradled in her arms. The greenish jolts electricity that arc over her body have seem to intensified dramatically over their nearly instantaneous journey through the stargate.

She lays her down, almost reverently, on the steel ramp. Running her fingers lovingly over the chillingly cold skin. "Don't you dare give up. You here me. You fight. Fight for you, fight for me, fight for us. I don't really care what you fight for, you just fight," she whispers fiercely.

"I think we just found your power source," Hammond grumbles as he looks up at the monitor after finishing issuing his latest orders.

"Nothing," he responds. "Whatever she's doing our equipment can't even detect it sir," he informs the General.

Hammond nods taking a closer look at the young girl lying on the ramp. Whoever these people were, whatever they are trying to accomplish, one thing is very clear. They were as dedicated as any soldier he has ever seen in all his years of service to his country. They are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to accomplish their mission.

"Faith!" Kennedy shouts. "A little help would be nice!" She adds noticing that the rounds were driving into the shield just a little bit more each time.

The formerly rogue slayer lifts her head, a feral light shining in her face. She could sit back safe and secure behind Willow's screen picking off the Air Force soldiers like she was shooting fish in a barrel. Only she wasn't in the mood to be impersonal.

She wants to share the pain tearing her up inside right now. Wants to feel bone crushing under her fist. Wants to see fear lighting their eyes as they come to the realization that there is nothing they can do to stop her.

Rising to her feet, she rushes the shield all in one smooth motion. Powerful muscles driving her forward at speeds no human should be able to attain. Its not a blurring speed, but by the time the soldiers level their guns at where she is, she's not there anymore.

"Faith!" Kennedy shouts again. This time fear lacing her voice as the older brunette leaps into the air. She knew Faith was rash, impulsive- her secretly dating Buffy's sister was proof of that- not to mention hot headed, but she had no idea she'd assault heavily armed soldiers barehanded.

Without hesitation she tracks the four soldiers as they track Faith. One, two, three down in rapid succession. Kennedy could swear she heard the individual shot that slams into Faith's side, spinning her around in mid air, a second before her fourth shot drops the last one.

Hammond watches in fascinated amazement as the bullet wound doesn't even slow the brunette down. With everything he has seen so far it was if these women were built for one thing. Battle.

"Gas the gate room," he orders. "If that doesn't stop them then we won't have any choice but to activate the bases... Holy!" He shouts staggering back a step as something burst from the stargate.

A large projectile soars through the event horizon as fast as any bullet fired from a gun. Its trajectory sends it crashing into the thick blast screen. The impact reverberates the heavy steel with a thunderous peel, a small bulge suddenly protruding from the other wise smooth surface. The bullet proof safety glass shatters, but does not shower the occupants of the control booth. Instead falling to the workstation below.

A second after the hammer smashes into the blast shield a tiny blonde, the smallest woman so far, steps out of the portal. Through the monitor General Hammond could see something hard in her eyes. Like nothing else matters to her except the accomplishment of her mission.

Whatever resolve was there crumples as her gaze falls on the chestnut hair brunette lying on the ramp.

Buffy sees Dawn lying on the ramp, the energy that is her heritage crackling over her skin. Her chest hardly rising as she barely draws a breath. She feels her own chest constrict as she realizes she's about to lose another person she loves. Every year, just like clockwork, she could count on losing someone close to her. Her mother, Tara, Spike, William. Now Dawn.

"Willow!" Buffy roars angrily. "Get us the hell out of here," she rages desperately hoping distance from the stargate would be enough to stop her sister's life from draining away.

Willow closes her eyes as she gathers her strength. A slow second drags by before Willow's eyes re-open. She gives her head a slight shake. "It took..."

Suddenly the young boy, that had been in the other gate room, hurtles out of the event horizon and slams into Buffy's back. His momentum managing to drive the blonde slayer to her knees and sends the pair rolling down the ramp and outside Willow's protective shield.

Buffy's elbow slams back lightly smashing into Jack's forehead sending him sailing back into the soft yielding shield that catches him before he drops to his knees stunned by the blow.

She quickly spins away from the small fire. The move bringing her face to face with the young soldier drawing a bead on her. The tiny slayer can almost smell the fear wafting off of him, see the slight tremble in his other wise steady hand. With a tight smile she darts to the side moving even further out of his line of fire, and forward bringing herself within striking distance. Her soft blow to his chest sends him soaring into the concrete wall.

Another gunshot rings out in the chamber. The scent of fresh blood fills the air as Faith grunts softly. Buffy whirls around just in time to see to see the last soldier flip completely over landing flat on his face.

Faith sags against the concrete wall. "Damn," she mumbles. "Not as bad as having you shove a knife through my gut, but... Damn."

"Hang on. We'll have..."

"Buffy!" Kennedy screams catching Willow as she falls towards the floor.

She whirls around to face the young slayer. "What happened?"

Kennedy shakes her head as she says, "she just collapsed."

"I'm not feeling so hot either," Faith comments. "Kind of tired."

"Must be some kind of gas," Buffy guesses with fiery eyes. "Get up Faith," she growls picking the hammer up from where it is lying on the floor. "I don't care if I have to tear this place apart stone by stone we're getting out of here."

"What the hell does it take to put those women down?" Hammond mutters to himself as he watches the blond stride towards the thick blast door carrying what must be a heavy hammer as if it weighs nothing.

Again he wonders what it will take to stop them even as he wonders what they are. Bullets didn't slow them down. That gas that is flooding the room wasn't having any effect on three of them. Fortunately there wasn't anyway out of the gate room.

Not unless they could walk through solid steel. Which considering some of the races they've had dealings with over the years, wasn't entirely out of the question.

Then the blonde raises the hammer and swings it at the blast door. Sparks fly as the sharp metallic clang of steel striking steel reverberates through the room and into the control booth through the speakers. The door buckles slightly. Not a lot, but still enough to raise Hammond's eyebrow in wonder at the impossibility of it.

With a loud snarl she swings again with similar results. Then again and again and again, faster and faster, denting the door with each strike.

In the short corridor, just on the other side of the crumpling blast door, a dozen soldiers line up high powered rifles at the heavy steel door, that shakes with each blow that is rained down upon it from within. Small spider-web cracks begin appearing in the concrete on either side of the blast door.

Throats go dry as their faces harden. Thoughts of their friends inside the gate room fluttering through their heads. It isn't the first time they've faced a possible alien invasion and like the highly trained and dedicated soldiers they are, they take their fear and lock it away for the time being.

They're the first, often the only, line of defense against a hostile alien force. They owe it to the rest of the world to give everything they have, including their lives, to insure that nothing threatens the safety, the sanctity of the way of life here on Earth.

General Hammond watches the monitor with hard eyes as first the brunette called Faith collapses. Even with a large bullet wound going through the left side of her abdomen, and another making a mess of her right shoulder, she is still able to carry the girl whose body continues to crackle with the unknown greenish energy. As she slides down the concrete wall, leaving a small blood trail in her wake, she still manages to support the other girl's head. For a few seconds anyway.

The other brunette, the one that had so easily decimated one of the best trained units stationed at the base, drops to her knees. She staggers slightly, pushing herself back to her feet, the woman named Willow cradled in her arms. A moment later she falls face first to the concrete floor.

Still the blonde, that answers to the name Buffy, launches one furious blow after another at the heavy blast doors. Huge dents the size of a man's head dot the piece of harden steel keeping her caged in. If it wasn't for the fact she was assaulting his base he would feel a certain amount of respect at her determination.

"Open this fucking door!" Buffy roars as she pounds into the steel obstruction again. She wasn't expecting them to do it. She simply felt a need to scream. To rage at anything. She could feel her strength fading, seeping away from her. She knew she wasn't going to get out, but she couldn't give up. There's nothing left inside of her. Nothing but the force of her own will keeps her going. Keeps her on her feet. Keeps her swinging the heavy hammer in her hands.

"If she dies," she growls hitting the door again, "I'll tear this base apart with my bare hands." Another weaker hit. "And there won't be," another still weaker blow, "a damn thing," another, "anyone," again, "can do." She drops to her knees, "to stop..." She finishes before collapsing.

As Buffy hits the floor unconscious the event horizon shimmers again as the four heavily armed members of SG1 burst out of the stargate, fanning outward, forming a defensive perimeter.

"Sir," Major Carter exclaims taking in their surroundings. The unconscious airmen, along with young Jack O'Neill, and the five woman that hijacked the stargate.

"This is..." Denial begins picking up on the same thing as Major Carter. He stops putting a hand to his head. A moment later he falls to the floor.

"Shit," Jack mumbles groggily as he to, drops to the floor. Sam then Teal'C follow quickly as the potent air base sedative takes effect in only a matter of seconds.

General Hammond's eyes bulge even further as he takes in SG1 as they burst into the gate room. "What the," he breathes out lowly. There was only one member of SG1 currently off planet and Major Carter was aboard an Asgard ship providing them with her expertise.

The other three members were on Earth. Colonel O'Neill and Teal'C were aboard a Russian submarine off the California coast and Dr. Jackson was assisting from shore.

There was no possible way for that to be the real SG1. "Secure the gate room and get a medical team down there right now. I want to know what the hell just happened here."

Dawn storms through the kitchen. She hadn't meant to invite Harmony into the house. It was just that she hadn't been able to stand listening to the blonde ditz insulting Xander like she had been.

There was no reason for Buffy to say what she had about her. She wasn't just some kid who didn't know anything after all.

Beside, she knew Xander could take Harmony, the blonde bimbo that she is. After all Xander is Xander. He can take some cheap trashy looking hussy.

Anya shifts her head slightly as she hears Dawn come through the kitchen. From the angry, hurt, and determined look on her face she could tell what the young girl is planning on doing. Going outside, at night, alone, in Sunnydale was about as close to suicide as possible. "Hey!" She shouts as Dawn reaches out for the door handle.

There had been more she was going to say, but that vanishes from her mind as a bluish sparkling light encompasses Dawn for a second, before it vanishes taking the young girl with it.

"Don't," she adds in a small voice.

After shaking off her shock she checks the area. Which was pretty simple considering it was a five foot space in front of the back door. "Dawn?" She says wondering if maybe she went invisible. Only if Dawn was invisible she still would have had to open the door in order to leave the house. Or she would have walked into the door not being able to see her hand in relation to the door.

Or she could have been turned ethereal as well as invisible so she just walked through the door. But then wouldn't she have turned around realizing she never touched the door. Or she could be falling through the planet right now.

Or somebody could have teleported her out of the house. If Dawn was teleported though she didn't recognize the magic that was used.

There really was only one thing she could do right now. "Buffy!"

Dawn reaches forward with her right hand as she continues walking. Instead of grabbing hold of kitchen door's door handle her hand slams into clear blue-white energy field that sends a small jolt up her arm. "Ow!" She shouts jumping back.

Her back hits another section of the field sending a slightly larger jolt through her body. "Ouch!" She screams surging forward. Just before hitting the screen in front of her she stops. Spinning around she sees the same clear, mildly shimmering blue and white field of energy, that is shaped like a giant oblong egg encompassing her.

Beyond the screen is a large chamber. Steel gray floors and tresses. Walls that are blacker then black. Bluish-white rocks, a foot or so off the floor, emit a soft light that provides a gentle illumination. Off on one side there were oddly shaped rock like things as long as caskets. On another side there was a raised dais and a serious of strange looking, she'd almost say consoles.

"Hey!" She screams at the top of her lungs. "Let me out of here!" She adds after an accelerated heartbeat. Then she stops as the situation really dawns on her.

She was alone in some kind of underground catacomb. Someone, some kind of demon, had kidnapped her. Obviously its an attempt to draw Buffy out. More then likely there's probably some kind of deadly trap waiting for her sister. Or an elaborate labyrinth that she has to navigate. Maybe a horde of vicious, blood thirsty demons she must battle before being able to save her.

It could be all three. Possibly more. As long as there weren't riddles, then Buffy had a good shot at rescuing her.

Jack quickly scrambles to his feet as he realizes he hasn't been blown to pieces. Or eaten by those nasty little mechanical insects. Glancing around he easily recognizes Asgard architecture. Continuing to look around her spots Sam and Thor.

Just beyond the Colonel, Teal'C rises to his feet as well. Though he does so in a slightly more reserve and stately manner.

"Fancy meeting you here Major," Jack says when nothing more appropriate, or funnier, pops into his head.

Sam gives the Colonel a small shrug as she replies saying, "you kind of looked like you needed a lift sir. If I was wrong I'm fairly certain I can put you back," she finishes with a straight face, but a humorous little light shining in her eyes.

Jack gives her a disgusted look but doesn't bothering responding to the bait. Instead he asks, "so you guys take care of everything okay? Didn't come back because Major Carter was too smart to handle the situation?"

Thor gives Colonel O'Neill a strange look as he tries to figure out the meaning behind his words. "Major Carter was quite helpful. Her plan has staved off the replicators invasion. Her use of the O'Neill was ingenious to say the least. It was something we Asgard never would have contemplated."

"The O'Neill?" Teal'C inquires.

Sam gives a little nod. "The Asgard built a ship in your honor Colonel," she informs them.

"A ship," Jack murmurs dreamily as Sam steps out from behind the control panel. "Named after me?" He asks coming back from his happy place.

"Yes sir," Sam answers.

"And it was so powerful it was able to wipe out the replicator controlled ships," he states proudly. His chest puffed out slightly.

"Not quite sir," she replies with a slight wince.

"Not quite?"

"We blew it up," she tells him.

"You blew..."

"Ow!" A high pitch voice echoes into the room. "Ouch!"

Teal'C shifts at the sound his body readying for combat. Jack and Sam react only fractions of a second slower. "If I'm not mistaken that sounds like a young girl," the large warrior states.

"Hey!" The voice shouts even louder. "Let me out of here!"

"That's definitely a girl," Jack agrees.

"It came from this direction sir," Sam adds pointing down a short hall. Teal'C his sidearm at the ready moves out ahead of her.

Jack looks at Thor asking, "is there something you want to tell me Lucy?"

"This is most unusual," Thor says sliding out of his chair with a slight hop. Moving quickly, on his short legs, he catches up to Sam and Teal'C, forcing Jack to trot in order to keep up.

The small alien comes to a door. A quick sweep of his hand over the sensor causes it to slide open with a gentle swoosh. Before he can enter though Jack and Teal'C take the lead, their automatic pistols drawn and held at the ready. Sam follows close behind.

They move with caution, and speed, as they sweep the area.

Thor, however, strides straight down the center of the storage bay. Within seconds the object Thor is heading directly at becomes obvious.

A crystalline, blue and white energy field that shimmers slightly. Inside is a young girl no more then thirteen or fourteen. Her long, dark hair is pulled back exposing what will one day be a long, gracefully neck. Her blue eyes are wide with fear as one would expect finding themselves on an alien ship.

Dawn watches the group with trepidation. Three humans, the two men with guns drawn, while the woman was unarmed. All three are dressed in military clothing. Either field camouflage or standard olive green fatigues.

The demon was a strange looking creature. It is small, with smooth gray skin, and spindly arms and legs. It has a large head with a big brain cavity. Its black eyes are quite large and slant backwards. Its mouth was small and toothless.

Or it just appeared to be small and toothless.

For all she knew there could be a whole gapping maw of razor sharp teeth inside of his mouth. Any second now the demon's lips were going to peel back revealing row after row of needle sharp teeth.

Or maybe he didn't need teeth at all. His tongue could be some straw like injector, twenty feet long. When he was hungry it would shoot out of his mouth piercing flesh with a sickly pop, and he would just suck up the persons innards like a slurpy.

"Oh Lucy," Jack starts in a bad accent. "I think you got some explaining to do?"

Thor ignores Jack as he studies the sensor readings on his monitor. The little alien gives his head a small shake. "This should not be possible," he says in anxious wonder.

"Thor. Buddy. Pal. What the hell is going on here?" Jack demands as he becomes frustrated. Before he finds it too tempting to use his gun he slides it back in his holster.

Thor lifts his head turning his coal black eyes on the Colonel. "What do you perceive to be within the containment field?"

"A girl," Jack says slowly placing special emphasis on the word. "A thirteen..."

"Fourteen," Dawn corrects quickly from inside her little bubble. If they were going to talk about her then the least they could do is get her age right.

Jack glances at her as Teal'C raises an expressive eyebrow. "A fourteen year old girl."

"I must concur," Teal'C agrees.

At the same time Sam gives a slight nod of agreement.

"As do I," Thor says.

"Gee thanks," Dawn gripes sullenly.

"But," Thor adds looking back down at his sensors. He knew that they weren't wrong, but his own eyes were telling him that they were.

Major Carter takes a few quick steps to reach the dais to stand at Thor's side. Her nose scrunches slightly as her eyes narrow looking at the various readings. Thor would have told the Major what she was looking at, but she had made it abundantly clear during their short time together, that she likes to figure things out for herself. As long as she wasn't going to blow up the ship or cause irreparable damage to it or something else. "Are these the bio readings from everyone in the bay?"

Thor gives a slight nod. "This is for Teal'C," he says pointing at one of the readings. "This one indicates the symbiote he carries. Colonel O'Neill, yours. Mine."

Sam points at the last reading. "And this one is for?" She questions as her eyes flicker up at the young brunette fidgeting inside the energy field.

Dawn catches the look. The wonder and amazement that shine in the Major's eyes. Along with the fear.

"Yes," Thor answers.

Her eyes widen as she looks back down at the readings. It was nothing like any of the others. If the girl was human, like she appears to be, then her reading should have resembled the Colonel's bio readings. Or her own. Only they didn't.

They weren't like anything she has ever seen before. Not that she had ever seen any readings before, but if she had, none of them would have looked like this. She was pretty sure they wouldn't have anyway.

"Well?" Jack demands. The single word almost sounding like a whine.

Sam glances at Dawn again, just a quick shifting of her eyes there and back again. It was enough for Dawn to catch that same look again. Like she is some puzzle to figure out. An extremely dangerous puzzle that must be handled with care.

"It might be better if we discuss this privately sir," Sam says. Her eyes again flicker towards the teenager.

"Just as soon as my good buddy Thor here tells me why he's beaming people up onto his ship," Jack replies.

Sam widens her eyes as she nods towards Dawn. "This concerns that, sir."

His eyes narrow slightly. "You sure?" He questions.

"Yes," she replies.

"Fine," Jack says almost sounding like a sullen teenager. "Just as soon as Thor lets the young woman here out of her cage," he adds. Thor gives him a doubtful look. "Do you really have to keep her in there? I mean she's just a kid for cryin out loud. How much trouble could she get into?"

"I'm not a kid!" Dawn yells at him. "Why is it everyone always treats me like I'm not even here?" She grumbles just loud enough to make sure everyone can hear her.

Jack glances at her, a small smile creasing his lips. Thor gives a slight shrug of his thin shoulders. As he moves to the control panel O'Neill shifts his attention to Teal'C. "Keep an eye on her," he orders.

Teal'C dips his head slightly acknowledging the order. A moment later he turns back towards Dawn and takes a few strides closer to her with his hands clasped lightly behind his back. As he comes closer to her the containment field surrounding her vanishes.

Dawn watches Teal'C with a wary eye as the other two soldiers and the small demon move away from them. She takes a step forward and to the side in an attempt to get around her big guard and follow after the others. It was obvious they were going to talk about her.

Teal'C moves smoothly to intercept her. His arms coming to his sides making him look even bigger.

Dawn glares up at him as she comes to a stop making it look like it was her idea and not because he forced her to. She needs to hear what they're saying about her, but she doubts if the man mountain blocking her path is going to let her pass. Crossing her arms over her chest she says, "my sister is going to kick your butt if you touch me."

Teal'C cocks his head slightly as his eyebrow arches in mild surprise at her statement.

"She kills things scarier looking then you every night," she adds for emphasis.

"What do you mean she's not human?" Jack demands in a hoarse whisper. He shoots a quick glance at where she's standing. Teal'C was blocking out nearly all of her, but from what he could see, what he's already seen of her, she looks and acts like any other petulant little girl who isn't getting what she wants.

"Exactly what I said Colonel O'Neill," Thor responds calmly. "The young girl, despite her appearance, is not human."

"I'd have to agree sir," Sam says. "Granted I'm not an expert on Asgard bio-reading equipment, but even I can tell the difference between you, me, Teal'C and her."

Jack lets out a disgruntle breath as he shifts his feet. Running a hand through his slightly graying hair he asks, "what the hell is she then? Because I got to be honest here, she looks like a damn kid to me."

"From what I can tell," Sam begins with an uncertain look. "She's energy sir. Pure energy."

He glances back at her again as she tries to convince Teal'C of something. From the looks of things Teal'C was about as implacable as ever, and she looks like she's about to give herself an aneurysm any moment with how animated she is. "Are you sure?" He mumbles as he looks back at Sam.

"Quite," Thor replies. "Shortly after the destruction of the O'Neill my home world recorded a phenomenon unprecedented in the history of the Asgard."

"That's gotta be awhile," Jack murmurs. "Sorry, just kind of thinking out loud," he explains a second later.

"What was it? This phenomenon," Sam asks curious to discover anything that predates the Asgard.

Thor glances from Jack to Sam. The small alien lets out a slight sigh. "The universe has not always been as it is now. Like you humans do now, we Asgard once did as well. Explore the universe, finding its mysteries, trying to unlock its secrets. The Ancients had only just recently vanished from the cosmic landscape. Their vast cities much easier to find, much more accessible when they were found. It was in one of their cities, ancient even by their standards, that we first came across the early history of the universe and the young girl you see now. Though at the time she looked vastly different.

"When the universe was in its infancy discord and chaos were the order of the day. Unlike now there was no barrier preventing dimensions with dramatically opposing physical laws from colliding, bleeding together, if you will, without any rhyme or reason. According to the records we found the results were quite catastrophic."

"Sounds like a hell of a place to live," Jack mumbles to Sam.

"At the time the Ancients were still a young race. From their own accounts they were arrogant, ambitious, not to mention brilliant. Seeking to stabilize the universe before it did irreparable harm to itself they created a barricade, so to speak, locking all the dimensions away from each other. Preventing any further destruction."

"That must of taken some doing," O'Neill adds. He gives his head a small shake. "Look as grateful as I am for the Ancients for doing all of that, what the does any of it have to do with her?"

"A byproduct," Sam blurts out in sudden understanding. Jack looks at her in confusion. "Sort of like a nuclear facility sir. It produces vast amounts of energy, something we want, but it also creates radioactive waste, something that we don't want," she finishes with a confident smile.

Thor cocks his head slightly gazing up at her. "An apt hypothesis Major Carter," he replies after a moment. Sam's grin widens. "But wrong." Her smile falls at the small alien's words. "What you are seeing is the barrier."

Jack frowns at Thor. "Wait a minute. You're trying to tell me the Ancients made this barrier of theirs to look like a fourteen year old girl?" He shifts his stance slightly as he adds, "even I know that doesn't make sense."

"The last I saw of it, when it was transported to Earth after the Goa'uld occupation had ended, it was a green ball of energy the size of a man's head."

"Yeah well, it looks like its changed a..." He stops speaking almost mid word. "You put it on Earth?" He questions a hard look lighting his eyes.

The small alien nods saying, "it was designated the safest planet to house it."

"Why didn't you just put back where you got it from?" O'Neill demands.

"That particular world had been destroyed when its primary star collapsed in on itself, or else we would have returned it," Thor answers.

"Why Earth though? There had to have been other planets just as suitable," Sam asks.

Thor gives a slight shake of his head. "Most planets are accessible by stargate. A vast majority of those that are not are either in Goa'uld control space, or are close to the end of their cycle. At the time Earth had no active stargate, plus it was too far for the Goa'uld to reach by ship. Also none of Earth's native inhabitants can perceive it in its natural state."

"I can perceive it pretty well from here," Jack replies sarcastically.

"Sir," Sam cuts in. "Its fairly obvious that somebody, something changed this energy."

Jack shakes his head. "You can't just change energy," he scoffs. At Sam's rebuffing look he says, "alright. Fine. You can change energy. You just can't make it human."

"Someone did just that sir."

"With what. Magic?"

Sam shakes her head. "I don't know sir," she admits. "What I would like to know though is what did your people detect. It must have been incredible powerful for it to be detectable in a completely different galaxy."

Thor nods again. "It was detectable across the entire universe."

"Wonderful," Jack groans. "What was it though?"

Thor looks back at Dawn. "It was the energy of the barrier being used to power Earth's stargate."

"Keep me informed of any changes in your situation Dr. Jackson," General Hammond says placing the handset of his telephone back in its cradle. It had been nearly twenty minutes since Colonel O'Neill and Teal'C detonated the Russian sub infested with replicators off the California coast, and still there was no word from the two. He knows there is the very real possibility they are both dead, but he'd believe that when he was presented with their bodies and not a moment before.

He had other reasons for contacting Dr. Jackson though. Namely the duplicates of SG1 currently in the base's infirmary under a heavy guard. It wasn't the first time that impersonators had tried to infiltrate the base, but he had never seen such a botched, not to mention, convoluted attempt.

He didn't even know if it was one attempt or two separate ones. There were so many variables he doubts he could even contemplate half of them. The one that kept jumping out at him though was one he didn't want to think of. They knew time travel was possible with the stargate if there was enough power, and the one thing those girls had an abundance of was power.

He rises from behind his desk. Turning he faces the thick, steel reinforced concrete wall. On the other side of that wall more the a dozen soldiers rush to repair the damage caused by a handful of young girls. Their first priority was the iris. Everything else could wait until that was back in place. Without it the base was a sitting duck with a big target painted on its back.

A titanium iris peeled back like it was paper from a single gesture of one girl. A girl who shook the mountain. A minor quake that registered one point seven on the Richter scale.

There was a dent in the blast screen the size of, well it was the size of war hammer. A hammer, a hundred and five pound, five foot three, blonde hair woman used to nearly buckle a foot thick steel door. A hammer nobody on the base could pick up. Five men together hadn't been able to budge it. They had to use the crane that brings the stargate in and out to lift the hammer onto the back of a mount and roll it out.

There was definitely something going on here that he didn't understand. A woman whose very presence seems to be all that's required to power the stargate. Three women who posses fighting skill that surpass anything he has ever seen before. Any one of them appears more then capable of defeating a battalion single handed.

A solid knock on his office door brings him back to the moment. "Come," he orders turning back to the door.

The door swings open as Dr. Janet Fraiser pushes it in. "Sir," she says stepping into General Hammond's office.

"Doctor," he replies.

"I've got the preliminary results you wanted to see," she informs him.

"And?"

She lets out a long breath while giving her head a small shake. "To be quite honest sir, I don't have a clue with what I'm dealing with. I've got SG1 down there," she gives her head another shake as Hammond opens his mouth. "As far as I can tell they're not clones. I won't know for certain until I get a complete genetic screens on them. There are differences though."

"Such as?"

"They're older for one, but Daniel's body doesn't have the normal levels of toxins or cellular degradation a man his age should have. Its almost like his body was returned to a clean state," she finishes taking a deep breath.

General Hammond can see there's something else that she has to tell him. "What else?"

She inhales deeply again as she steels herself. "Teal'C doesn't have a symbiote."

Hammond's eyes widen with her information. "What?" He gasps. "I thought Teal'C needs the Symbiote in order to survive?"

She nods. "Normally I'd have to agree but I found an unknown substance in his bloodstream, along with several vials of the same fluid. I'd have to say its some kind of antibiotic that's being used to replace the symbiote."

"And that's what's keeping him alive?" Hammond questions.

"I think so?"

"Will you be able to replicate it?"

Janet gives a slight shrug as a small frown creases her lips. "Most of it. But there's an ingredient I've never seen before. Without that..."

Hammond's nods in understanding. "What about the boy? He seems familiar," he asks wanting to get off the distasteful subject for the moment.

"He should," Janet replies. "According to all the test I've run so far. He's Jack O'Neill."

Hammond's eyes widen again. "Please tell me you're joking. Trying to infuse a little levity in an other wise tense situation?"

"I wish it was that simple sir."

"But its not," he murmurs sitting down in his chair. "Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like this?"

"Because you're not," Janet answers bluntly. "I've got one girl, two floors up, whose dying, for no reason I can determine and there's nothing I can do to stop it. There are four girls, each one in an isolation chamber. One of them had two bullets taken out of her less then twenty minutes ago. The wounds look like they've had a week to heal. I have three of them on a continues sedative drip, maximum dosage because they began waking up within minutes of being removed from the gate room."

"What the hell are they?" He demands almost unsure of how to proceed.

"Human," she replies.

"That impossible," he refutes in disbelief. "I've seen first hand the destruction they can wreak with little more then their bare hands and from the report you just made," he gives his head an angry jerk. "They make a platoon of Jaffa look like a pack of girl scouts selling cookies Dr. Do you realize just how dangerous that make them?"

"Of course I do," she replies. "But I also know what my test tell me. The girl that's dying, as far as I can tell she's an exact double of the blonde. All their test results come back one hundred percent human. No strange genetic manipulations. Nothing."

"There has to be something Dr."

"I know that. Sir," she adds belatedly as she runs her right hand through her hair brushing some of the stray locks back. "I don't know how much more sedatives I can give them. They're at the legal limit right now."

"You're going to keep them sedated until we come up with some conclusive evidence one way or the other. Is that clear," he adds seeing her disapproving scowl.

"Sir," she begins just as an airman knocks on the open door.

General Hammond looks up. "Come in," he orders as he stands.

The young soldier enters snapping a crisp salute to the General as he presents him with a thin folder. "The results of the finger prints you ordered sir."

Hammond takes the folder with a curt nod. "Dismissed," he orders absently. The young man turns and leaves immediately. General Hammond opens the file, flipping slowly through the pages. After he turns each flimsy sheet of white paper he nods sharply.

"Colonel Jonathen O'Neill, Colonel Jonathen O'Neill, Major Samantha Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson, Teal'C, Buffy Anne Summers, Erika Faith Dilby, Gwendolyn Annette Kennedy, Willow Rosenburg, Dawn Marie Summers."

"SG1 plus young Jack and our five girls."

"Girls is exactly right Dr." The General responds. "The young woman upstairs what would you estimate her age at?"

"Nineteen," Janet replies. "Maybe twenty?"

He pulls out a sheet of paper. "This says she's fourteen. Lives in Sunnydale, California with her mother and sister," he places that sheet back as he pulls out a second. "One nineteen year old Buffy Anne Summers, who last year was issued a low level security clearance for a now defunct NID operation coded the Initiative." He places that one back in the folder and pulls out another one. "Erika. Seventeen. Serving twenty-five to life at Orange County's Maximum Security Prison for Women on three counts of first degree manslaughter. Gwendolyn, sixteen. Arrested for assault at a gay rights rally. Charges were later dropped. Rosenburg. Nineteen, Sunnydale California," he shrugs. "Passport."

"You don't think they used the stargate to travel from the future into the past?" Janet asks incredulously.

"Do you have a better explanation that fits all the criteria?" Hammond demands. "We already know its possible for the stargate to transport people in time." He gives another shake of his head. "What I wouldn't give to have someone with an actual understanding of temporal mechanics here right now."

A slight shimmers coalesces at the door as a life like image of Colonel O'Neill appears with his back facing them. "Whoa," he breathes out looking down the corridor.

"Jack," General Hammond exclaims.

"Colonel O'Neill!" Dr. Fraiser burst out excitedly.

Jack turns around cautiously. He almost looks unsure of where he's stepping. "Hey Doc. Fancy meeting you here. George," he adds then stops. "This is so cool. We have gotta get one of these things."

"Are you alright Colonel," General Hammond cuts in.

"Oh yeah. Doing great," Jack replies. "We all are. Me, Sam, Teal'C, Dawn. Probably means you can have the Navy call off that search for us."

"Dawn?" Hammond questions with a sinking feeling in the pit of his gut.

"A young girl Thor abducted..." He stops looking at something they can't see. "Well what would you call it when you whisk someone out of their house in the middle of the night? Thank you," he says graciously. Looking back up at them a large smirk on his face. "As I was saying. A young girl Thor abducted from a small town in southern California. Go figure, they can travel all over the galaxy without getting lost, but they have problems telling the difference between the SGC and Sunnydale." He gives General Hammond a concern look as he leans forward. "Nothing wierd's been going on down there? Has it?"

Willow's eyelids slowly slide open as the world around her begins to come back into focus. There was still someone pounding on the inside of her skull with a heavy hammer. As her eyes open the lights overhead glares down causing the little drummers to beat double time.

Instinctively she pulls her eyes close again. "Scuro," she murmurs causing the lights to black out.

Trying to get up she realizes leather straps around her legs, arms, and waist hold her down. "Rilascio," she says. Her voice gaining a little strength. Like living creatures the straps move, unbuckling themselves then going inert again.

It didn't take much effort for her to realize they had been captured. Buffy could ream out for it later, she didn't care. She just knew she wouldn't have been able to live with herself if she had allowed more of her friends to die when she was capable of preventing it.

Willow tries to get up again. Her arms and legs move like lead weights as she flops over falling to floor below. Slowly she becomes aware of the wires attached to her flesh.

Looking around her surroundings the world stops spinning. As everything comes together she can make out the medical equipment in the room. Heart monitor. EKG. Other equipment as well. Too much for her to take the time to pay attention to right now.

Grabbing hold of the edge of the bed, she had been strapped to, she hauls herself back to her feet. Reaching out with her mind she wobbles slightly. Locking her knees and tightening her grip on the bed she keeps herself from collapsing.

She could feel them rushing towards her. Doctors, soldiers. They were scared. They didn't know what to make of her and the others. Didn't know what she was any more then knew what Buffy, Faith, and Kennedy are. What Dawn is.

Even after all their test they haven't got a clue. They didn't believe their own results. No matter how many times they came back as human.

She can't help that her lips pull back in a silent snarl. It wasn't their fault her and the others were human. With their skill and powers she sometimes had a hard time remembering that.

Kennedy, along with Buffy and Faith were close by. Under heavy sedation. Not surprising considering the recuperative powers of a slayer. She couldn't find Dawn. Either she was too far from her right now or...

Willow lets the thought go not wanting to dwell on it. If she was, there's nothing that could be done about it now.

Just like there was nothing she could do about getting her lover and her friends out of here right now. She was still far too weak to bring them out. Once she finished the mission she would be able to return for them.

But she had to leave now.

The door burst open. A handful of Soldiers filling the room. "Don't move!" One of them shouts at her.

"Permesso," she whispers with a clear image of the scythe in her mind.

The room spins, fades, shifts, and changes in an instant. One moment she had been standing in a dark square shape room filled with soldiers and medical equipment. It vanishes around her to be replaced by a large room cluttered from wall to wall, floor to ceiling with ancient looking artifacts, books and tombs and manuscripts and parchment.

Willow wobbles. Grabbing hold of the nearby table she manages to hold herself up.

"Hey! Who the..."

She turns her head at the sudden voice at the two scientist.

"Shit!" The other one yells. "Hit the alarm."

"Stretta," Willow snarls sinking closer to the floor. The two scientist freeze where they are standing. In the exact position they had been. One person's hand only inches from the red panic button. They stretch and they strain, but no matter how much they try they don't budge another inch closer.

"Where is it?" She mumbles looking around the store room. She didn't have to look very hard to find it. Lying at the far end of the table she is currently leaning against. Using the table for support Willow staggers to the other end. Reaching the scythe she wraps her hands around the hilt. A small smile sweeps over her face.

It was time to leave now. It was time to go home.

"Domestico," she whispers.

The two scientist stare in astonishment as the girl simply vanishes the same way she had appeared.

"Spike!" Buffy bellows as she slams open the door to his crypt. Dawn is missing, according to Anya, teleported right out of the house. She didn't have a lot of time to waste, and most of what she did have was taken up by Anya telling her what kind of demon it wasn't. When pressed Anya admitted she didn't know what type of demon used that particular kind of teleportation.

Normally, if there was some new big bad in town gunning for her she would hear about it. So far she hasn't heard a thing.

Which is why she's here. In the hope that maybe Spike might have picked up on something. Even the smallest, tiniest, little tid bit of information that he might be willing to share. If he did and he didn't, then she'd just have to convince him other wise.

"Spike!" She shouts again.

"Just keep your knickers on," Spike says from behind her. Seemingly appearing out of nowhere. Light flares as he strikes a match. Bringing the flame to his cigarette he inhales deeply lighting it. "So, what do I owe the displeasure of your company?" He sneers.

"Someone kidnapped Dawn," she answers. "Took right out of the house without anybody seeing anything."

Spike takes a few steps forward saying, "and this is something I should care about why exactly?" He pops his cigarette into his mouth taking a deep drag.

Buffy slips a stake from her white coat. "Because I got a nice sharp stake with your name on it," she says spinning the wood smoothly between her fingers.

"Oh, well. Since you put it that way," Spike starts as he steps up to the edge of the stone sarcophagus that is the centerpiece of his crypt. He hops up on the hard granite, his legs splayed to either side of the sharp corner. He takes another drag off his cigarette. "Haven't heard a thing," he tells her.

Buffy takes a menacing step forward. Her normally laughing hazel eyes glaring murder at him. "If anything happens to my sister and I find out you knew about it. You're going to spend days begging me to stake you."

With that she turns on her heel and storms towards the crypt's heavy steel door. Spike lets out a deep sigh just before he says, "hold up slayer." Buffy turns back to face him. "I heard something while I was out awhile ago, but considering the source," he finishes with a shrug.

"What?" She demands taking a step forward.

"I'm sure its nothing. Just a bloke blowing a bunch of hot air, but its the only thing I've heard lately."

Buffy takes another step towards him. "I really don't have time Spike."

"Ran into a gang of vampires earlier tonight," Spike starts off taking another drag off his cigarette. "Nothing special about them. Figured I'd go ahead and lesson the population a bit since a was bored and the mood for a good rough and tumble." He takes another drag off his cigarette before tossing the spent butt to the ground. "Turns out Harmony's managed to put together her own gang. Bunch of bloodless wankers if you ask me."

"Harmony took Dawn?" She demands.

"Bint said she had something brilliant that was suppose to draw you out," Spike scoffs. "Chit hasn't had an idea, brilliant or otherwise in her entire life. Probably hurt herself if she ever did. Cause that single brain cell to go and overload as the blood finally rushes to her brain."

"Should've staked her while we were in high school," Buffy growls lowly. She turns and as she walks out of his crypt she adds, "time to correct that oversight."

Major Davies waits patiently in the small, stark, and cramped interview room. His jet had been in route to a landing field within walking distance of Cheyenne Mountain when his orders had been changed without warning. He was being sent to an airfield just outside Orange County, California.

He was to meet with a division of Air Force MPs and retrieve a prisoner from the Women's Prison there, and return with her to SGC. Two members of SG1 and several others were suppose to be hooking up with him at the airfield for the return flight to the SGC.

He was in the room now with four of the largest MPs he has ever seen. Hard face men all. Each one of them was big enough to make Teal'C seem average size.

Major Davies is fairly certain this sudden change in his orders has something to do with the incident that occurred within the SGC some forty-five minutes ago. So far there hasn't been any official details released, but official rumor had it that a hostile force had breached the commands internal defenses. Aside from that though there wasn't anything.

The heavy steel door opens with a resounding clang. It swings inward, one guard stepping into the already over crowded room. Following him in is a lean brunette, the top of her orange jump suite tied around her waist. She looks far to young to be in a place like this. Her dark brown eyes however were as hard as any he has ever seen before.

"Prisoner four three zero zero one nine," the guard announces stiffer then he normally would have.

Faith smirks as she walks into the room full of military personal. These rooms are small to begin with. Right now, with all the large people in it, the room felt positively claustrophobic.

Finding the one in charge was simple. Out of the five of them he was the only one not a member of the no neck club. He was also the only one with a little age to him.

"All you boys here to see me? I don't know if I'll be able to fit you all in, but I'm sure willing to give it a go," she says a hot light flashing in her eyes.

Major Davies ignores her comment as he opens the thin vanilla folder looking from the picture to the girl in front of him. He didn't need to but he didn't like leaving anything to chance. "Erika Faith Dilby..."

"It just Faith," she hisses.

"You are hereby transferred to the custody of the United States Air Force," he continues ignoring her comment. Turning to the MPs, "shackle her," he orders.

"What the..." Faith begins taking a sharp step back.

The guard steps in front of her. "You have no..."

"Step aside son," Davies orders the young man. "If you want to debate the disposition of this prisoner I suggest you talk to the man who signed the order."

"And just who would that be?" The guard challenges.

"The President of the United States of America," Davies answers.

Inside the gate room two dozen men congregate. Eight of them working feverishly to dismantle the shredded remains of the iris. Sixteen keeping a vigilant watch on the stargate, as well as the rest of the room, in case the unthinkable should happen again.

News that one of the invading women escaping had spread through the base like a wild fire. Most of the soldiers expected her to return, with reinforcements, to extract the rest of her team. They knew if more warriors, like the ones who originally came through the stargate, attacked a second time. They would be hard pressed to stop them. If they could be stopped.

SG1, along with the other soldiers that had been incapacitated in the first attack were expected to begin regaining consciousness anytime now. Then again Major Carter has already been seen moving around the base, going over the computer readings from during the assault. It was also rumored that Teal'C was aboard an Asgard ship parked in orbit over Earth. The same rumor also said Colonel O'Neill and Dr. Jackson, along with a contingent of heavily armed MPs, were en route to a small town in southern California.

Suddenly the stargate is on.

There was no spinning. No dark amber lights. No event horizon exploding outward. Nothing. One moment it was off the next it is on. Looking like a rippling pool of dark blue water.

Everyone explodes into action. Weapons are trained, shifting with every sudden ripple.

Welders drop to the floor and rush to get clear even as the draw their own side arms from the equipment.

Somebody, somewhere on the base hits the general alarm causing the klaxons to blare.

Seconds drag by. Muscles tense. Fingers place a light pressure on the triggers of their weapons.

A body rockets out of the event horizon like it was shot of a cannon. It hits the concrete wall half way between the floor and the blast shield with bone crushing force. Or it should have been bone crushing force, only its the wall that winds up with a concave indentation the size of a nightstand. Cracks spider-web outward from the center. The body rebounds slightly as it drops to floor landing with a soft thud and a groan.

Weapons are instantly trained on the naked body with shaggy brown hair laying on the floor.

Before anyone can say anything. A bare moment after the first body, a second body shoots out with equal velocity. It hits slightly lower on the wall but leaves an indentation equal to the first.

Instead of falling to the floor in a heap like his predecessor. This person, a young man with long flowing blonde hair and soulful jade eyes, lands in a crouch, gazing at all weapons trained on him with a calm level stare. He is just as nude, and just as well endowed physically- with hard, rippling muscles that flex and shift with each small and subtle movement- as the first man.

Behind them the event horizon disappears.

"Bugger all, but that was bloody painful," he grumbles pushing himself to his hands and knees.

"Don't move!" Half a dozen throats shout as high powered fire arms ratchet.

He looks up. A slight shifting of his head. His long, shaggy dirty blonde hair falling across his face obscures his vision somewhat. His sharp eyes however are capable of seeing more then enough. "If this doesn't beat all."

________________________________________________________________________

Nights in White Satin - Moody Blues

Nights in white satin, never reaching the end,  
Letters I've written, never meaning to send.  
Beauty I'd always missed with these eyes before.  
Just what the truth is, I can't say anymore.  
  
'Cos I love you, yes I love you, oh how I love you.  
  
Gazing at people, some hand in hand,  
Just what I'm going through they can't understand.  
Some try to tell me, thoughts they cannot defend,  
Just what you want to be, you will be in the end.  
  
And I love you, yes I love you,  
Oh how I love you, oh how I love you.  
  
Nights in white satin, never reaching the end,  
Letters I've written, never meaning to send.  
Beauty I've always missed, with these eyes before.  
Just what the truth is, I can't say anymore.  
  
'Cos I love you, yes I love you,  
Oh how I love you, oh how I love you.  
'Cos I love you, yes I love you,  
Oh how I love you, oh how I love you.  
  
Breath deep   
The gathering gloom  
Watch lights fade   
From every room  
Bedsitter people   
Look back and lament  
Another day's useless   
Energy spent  
  
Empassioned lovers  
Wrestle as one   
Lonely man cries for love  
And has none  
New mother picks up   
And suckles her son  
Senior citizens   
Wish they were young  
  
Cold hearted orb  
That rules the night  
Removes the colours  
From our sight  
Red is gray and   
Yellow white  
But we decide  
Which is right   
And   
Which is an Illusion


	3. Chap 3: Old Man

__

Chapter Three: Old Man

A solid, rapid thumping echoes down the long, dark, oppressive corridors. Paintings, portraits, and landscapes, hang on the walls at perfectly spaced intervals. Red oak paneling gives the hallway, like the rest of the house, an even greater feeling of gloom. Despite the warmth in the air the halls convey a cold, empty feel.

A small, lean dark hair girl screeches to a skidding stop at the T section. One foot slips as she starts to run, her hand touches the floor, and her other foot catches traction and she bolts down the hall. She's half way down the hall when another, slightly older, slightly taller brunette races around the corner.

"I'm going get you, you little freak!" She shouts closing rapidly with the younger girl.

"You wish!" She yells back reaching her bedroom door. She quickly turns the handle, pushes the door open, storms inside, then slams it shut, almost smashing the thick wood into her half sister's face. She quickly twists the lock securing the door before Jessica can force it open.

Something heavy bangs into the door. A second later it thuds again. "I get my hands on you…"

"You ain't gonna do anything!" She shouts interrupting her. "Dad will take away your platinum cards bitch."

"We'll see what mom has to say about that," Jessica yells.

"She's your mother, not mine!" She shouts twirling around to face the door.

"Thank god, because it would take somebody with really screwed up genes to give birth to a freaky little dyke like you! Keep your beady eyes away from my friends," she warns.

"I've got as much right to go anywhere in this house as you," Gwendolyn screams back taking another step back a few tears sliding down her cheeks.

"We'll see about that," Jessica says through the door in a sinister whisper.

Gwendolyn whirls away from the door. Taking in the large opulent room around her for the first time without really seeing it. Even with the bright colors, the stuffed animals the room has all of the warmth of the hallway on the other side of her door. Its just one more sign of just how dysfunctional her family is.

Her mother, had been the maid her father got pregnant. Instead of sending her away as soon as possible she was kept in the house, treated like family. A distant cousin, but family. Only after she gave birth was she sent away, alone and with a good monthly check. Only instead of keeping everything from her its throw in her face every chance. A way to remind her that she wasn't really one of them.

All the time her father constantly buys her one toy after another. The biggest stuffed animals. The brightest colors. As if he doesn't know any other way to say I love you.

She stops on her second step. Lying on the floor, her right arm crossing from her chest to the opposite hip, as if she just collapsed right next to her bed, was quite possibly the most beautiful woman she has ever seen. Fiery red hair, lean cheeks, a small little button nose, soft, luscious looking lips. All she would need, to be just perfect, are emerald green eyes. Now if she was only ten years younger, even five then maybe…

Next to her, dropped as if its unimportant, is a wicked looking ax. Its hard wood handle ends in a sharp point. The blade is so polished it gleams brilliantly in her rooms bright lights.

Gwendolyn gives her head a shake coming back to herself, she quickly kneels down next to the strange red head's side. Her fingers easily finds a pulse on her neck, her skin feels like smooth satin. Its strong. Steady.

Like the woman was just sleeping.

Taking a deep breath, she gives her a shake. "Hey," she says softly. "Time to wake up beautiful," she whispers lovingly.

Her eyelids flutter open, a pair of dazzlingly green eyes stare up. A smile flits across her lips as she looks upon the beautiful face of her lover. Willow lifts her left hand, her fingertips gently caressing along Kennedy's face. "Ken," she says in a voice full of love. "I made it… Home," she finishes arm dropping to the floor as her eyes slip close.

- - - - - - -

Red light swirls in time with the blaring horn as it fades in and out. The air, tense just a few minutes ago, is charged. Ready to burst any moment.

Fingers tense, a light pressure being applied to the triggers of high powered automatic weapons, as the handful of soldiers glare scowl at the two -- completely naked -- strangers that had literally hurtled out of the star gate a moment ago.

The older man, a few locks of his curly, light brown hair falling in front of his eyes. He squints slightly, still being careful to keep his hands held up in the air. "You blokes think you can get somebody to turn the bleeding lights off. Bloody annoying," he finishes with a grimace.

"Don't move," a Sergeant orders stepping forward.

He squints his eyes slightly. "Wasn't planning on going for stroll mate." Glances down at himself. "I seem to be a tad bit underdressed at the moment."

"What the hell is going on!" Hammond demands storming into the gate room. His eyes roving the room like an angry hawk. They latch onto the blue eye man and the blonde hair, green eye teenager. "Who the hell are you?"

The man opens his mouth. An obvious quip coming to his lips that quickly dies there. A frown tugging the corners of his lips down as his eyes turn upwards.

"Well?" Hammond demands, his exasperation clearly evident in his voice.

He looks up, fear glittering in his eyes as he shakes his head. "I haven't got a bleeding clue."

General Hammond feels his blood surge in his veins. Today may well be one of the most rememorable days he has ever had. It was definitely never going to be one of his favorites. "Do you know where you're from? Where you are now? What about the boy?"

With a sudden abruptness the alarm cuts off. The man visibly relaxes without the blaring noise blasting out of the speakers. "London?" He murmurs questioningly, a slight frown on his lips. He gives his head a small shake. "Maybe." He shifts his head to look at the teenager and gives a shrug. "Junior, but…" He stops looking back at the blonde hair youth. "I've known him since he was just a tyke, but…" he looks back at Hammond and gives his head a shake.

Hammond's scowl darkens as he continues to glare at the pair of strangers. He knew the man could be telling the truth, but he also knew its just as likely he is lying. That his claim of amnesia is nothing more then a ruse.

The speaker clicks softly. A brief moment later a diffident feminine voice says. "General Hammond, when you have a moment sir. I have the results of the telemetry you wanted sir." Samantha finishes then switches off the intercom.

Hammond's withering glower continues to weigh at the two. He lets out a slight exhalation as he turns towards the lieutenant. "Place them in ISO five. Frazier will be there in a few minutes. Stay with them. And find them some clothes."

- - - - - - -

Dawn continues to glare up at Teal'C with a mixture of anger and curiosity. Anger that she has been left alone for over an hour, it felt like its been way more then an hour, with a gray skinned E.T. wanna be and a large black man with gold emblem embedded in his forehead. Neither of which had said two words to her in the entire time.

E.T. she could understand. He had this big old space ship to over see.

But the other one, the big one… Its just plain rude to stare at somebody, like he's examining a tool he isn't quite sure what it was made for, and not say anything to them.

"So," Dawn finally says. A note of challenge in her voice. "You're an alien?" Teal'C gives her a small nod. "You don't look like an alien," she informs him. She looks over her shoulder at Thor saying, "at least he looks like an alien. Has that whole E.T. look going on. You though," she gives her head a little shake, "you just look like a big, grumpy guy who hasn't gotten his daily dose of Metamucil." Teal'C quirks an expressive eyebrow at her. "Heck, I've seen demons way scarier then you…" His eye brow arches a little more at her. "Fine, Buffy's seen most of them. Mom gets really upset when Buffy slays in front of me. I told you Buffy's the Slayer right?"

"Indeed many times," Teal'C answers.

"Yeah," Dawn continues. "She's like the Earth's protector. Goes out every night saving people. Averts an apocalypse, two or three times a year, and still manages to get…" she gives a little shrugs as she adds, "almost average grades."

Looking him in the eye her face twist into a determined scowl. "Just so we're clear on the subject, when you say alien you don't mean you slipped over the boarder from Mexico. You mean your from," she makes a waving gesture towards the front window, "out there?"

Teal'C nods his head slightly saying, "that is correct."

"Like really, really far out there?"

Again Teal'C nods.

"Are Wookies real?"

His eye widen a bare fraction of an inch. "I don't believe so."

"Because that would be so cool to meet Chewbacca," Dawn says brightly, enthusiastically.

He smiles, a small quirking of his lips. Gives her a tiny nod and says, "indeed," in a very soft boom. Then quickly falls back to his normal expression.

She continues to smile as she asks him. "What did you do, you know before you started holding young girls against their will?" Her voice just drips with a lot of unnecessary sweetness.

He keeps his expression flat as he says, "I was First Prime to the false god Apophis. For many years I slew his enemies without mercy."

Dawn swallows hard as she continues to stare at him. "and did any of his enemies include. Children?" She asks managing to keep her voice steady.

He seems to lean forward without moving. An evil glint in his eyes as he says, "many."

- - - - - - -

Carter glances up at General Hammond as he enters her office some five minutes or more after switching off her intercom. She had spent the better part of the day trying to calculate where their unauthorized visitors originated from. So far her results have been inconclusive to say the least.

While one was at least feasible -- if a little far reaching -- the other was just flat out impossible. There just wasn't anyway they could have come from where her figures say.

"What have you got for me Major?" Hammond asks standing just inside the door frame.

Samantha nods emphatically saying, "the analysis from this mornings gate readings." She stops taking a deep breath.

"And?" The authorities note of command resonates in his voice.

With a deep breath she launches into her discovery. "The first gate originated from Earth…"

"I thought that was impossible?"

She nods ignoring the interruption. "It should be," pausing for a moment to correct herself, to chose her words a little more carefully. "It is, except under very specific conditions."

"Such as?"

"From everything we've discovered." She takes another breath watching Hammond intently. "Time travel sir."

"Time travel?" The skepticism is easily evident in his voice. He steps closer. The confusion is plainly written on his face. He knew it was possible but hearing his suspicions confirmed. It was similar to getting a bucket full of ice water thrown in his face.

"When we were stuck in nineteen sixty-nine we used the star gate in conjunction with an incredibly powerful sunspot to get back to our proper time."

Hammond nods thoughtfully at her explanation. "They're from the past."

A brief shake of her head as she gestures to the computer. "I don't think so. The readings aren't consistent with what we have on record, plus if you listen to the blonde woman as she tries to effect an escape…" She pauses again. "Some of the things she said leads me to believe they're from the future."

He looks at the image on the screen, The girl Buffy pounding on the door screaming, raging to be let out. Straining his ears slightly he can just make out what she was saying. "Is that even possible? What would they have used for a power source?"

Samantha's face blanches a little at the question. "I think that the girl Dawn, was the source. The way the gate reacts to her."

George feels himself sag a little. "What about the other transmission?"

Carter exhales sharply. "I don't have a clue sir." She admits. "I've just started running the calculations, gone over them a dozen times already. There was no point of origin." She shakes her head in pure frustration. "I don't know what to say. They came out of nothing literally."

- - - - - - -

Spike doesn't even register the cold, stone lid of the sarcophagus he's lying upon. A little grin flickers across his lips, there and gone in a flash.

Being a vampire did have its advantages. Never having to worry about aching joints on a cold morning, not feeling heat or cold at all. It could be the bitterest winter night, a freezing cold that would cause trees to burst as their sap froze, or blistering heat under the noonday sun in Death Valley and he wouldn't sweet a drop.

So long as the sun didn't touch him. If it did, then he'd feel heat. The heat of flames that would try and devour him whole.

He lets out a long breath feeling a fresh wave of boredom wash over himself. Out of a morbid kind of curiosity he wonders if the slayer has managed to get her hands on Harmony and her crew yet. He feels a little slap of guilt over what he did to the blonde that used to share his bed.

It didn't last very long. Harmony wanted to swim in the big lake now, where there are a lot of nasty fellows just waiting to take a few bites out of some fresh meat.

It wasn't like he knew she was going to use his plan and nab the slayer's sister. That was just plain stupid, right up there with some of ways Angelus had tried to get to the slayer. Almost as brilliant as killing the watcher's woman way back when. Or sucking the world into hell. That had really been a winner of a plan his grandsire had come up with at the time. Then again Drusilla's had been a key participant in the planning process.

He sits up, swinging his legs over the side. "Bloody Hell," he grumbles hopping down to the floor.

His crypt door burst open. A blonde flurry bounds in, slamming the door behind her. Spinning back around, Harmony stares with wild eyes at Spike. "You gotta help me, Buffy's after me. She's gone insane, going on and on about me… Abducting her sister. Like I would ever hurt Dawn. She was always the only one that was ever nice to me."

Spike gives his head a rough shake. "You've got the slayer wanting your pretty little empty head and you couldn't think of anyplace else to go."

"You're the only that can hide me from her, that I can trust not to rat me out." She pleads with wide, sad, trusting eyes.

Spike rolls his head back. "Fine," he says looking back at her. "You can stay, but you make sure you keep out of sight. I don't want anyone catching the tiniest little glimpse of you. Fact I don't want to see you poking your head through that hatch or I'll deliver you to the slayer myself."

"Oh Spike!" Harmony shouts leaping into Spike's arms. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," she says rapidly between quick kisses all over his face.

Spike makes a quick job of fending her off, creating a few inches of Space as he murmurs, "whatever."

- - - - - - -

Buffy pinches the bridge of her nose in frustration as she pushes open the front door and steps inside. Her search for Dawn hadn't turned up anything, and even worse then that Harmony had managed to escape. That's a piece of information she wasn't going to be happy with when it comes out. She just knew her entire reputation is going to fly straight out the window once word gets around.

Stepping inside she pushes the door close behind her. The house was quiet, despite all the people in the house. Most other people wouldn't have been able to hear anything, with how quietly everyone is talking, but because of her slayer hearing she heard everything as if it is being whispered in her ear.

Joyce looks up, instinctively sensing Buffy standing there. A hopefully pensive expression creasing her face. "Anything?" She asks desperately.

Buffy shakes her head. "Did you guys find anything?" She inquires already knowing the answer.

Willow frowns, Tara gives her hand a firm squeeze. "We're not sure," she says slowly.

"What do you mean?"

Giles takes a step forward clearing his throat. "Willow and Tara did a number of locating spells. At first they were getting some rather peculiar…"

"Giles did you find her or not?" Buffy demands.

"Cheyenne Mountain," Xander answer.

Buffy scrunches her eyes slightly. "Where is it, how am I going to get there, and what the hell is she doing there?"

Giles shifts his glare off Xander to focus back in on Buffy. "Where not sure if that is where she is."

"Would somebody just tell me what is going on here?" Buffy demands.

"We w-were getting two separate locations," Tara answers with small stutter.

Willow nods as she adds, "the one in Washington is closer, but its also weaker."

"And the other one?"

Willow looks towards Giles, her eyes wide and pleading. He lets out a small breath. "Somewhere above the planet. Presumably space."

"Did she go up with the space shuttle and not bother to tell anyone?"

"It is the stronger of the two singles," Giles adds after Buffy's anger filled question.

"Its always possible somebody wants us to find that one, like a decoy, so we'll concentrate on it, instead of the other one," Xander comments sounding like he's made the same argument before.

Giles shakes his head saying, "that only makes sense if whoever took her had been masking her location."

"What if they are?" Anya asks. "Only their spell isn't working like it should. So instead hiding her it only makes her hazy?"

"I'm going to Washington," Buffy tells them.

"Are you sure?" Giles questions with a slight frown.

"Unless you have some way of getting me into deep space," Buffy responds with a tiny head shake. "it's the only place I have to start looking. Besides, it can't be any harder then breaking into the Initiative." She stops taking a look at her friends, "can it?"

- - - - - - -

The cell was a small, a rectangular six by ten foot room. A set of bunk beds pressed up against the right wall. A small table and single chair against the left. Like every place else the two have seen on this base the concrete walls have been painted two distinct colors. A dark, drab green below the waist and an off gray above.

The rooms one saving feature was its environment. Dry and cool without being cold. For some reason he couldn't explain after being told they are going to be kept in a holding cell, he imagined a damp, dank, dark dungeon filled with muck, dirty water, and rats. A place were human waste covers the floor in a thick layer of slime. Where moans from the dying and those that wish they were dead filled the air. He's extremely glad that wasn't the case.

Fresh air was being pumped in through a small air duct high up on the wall, only a few inches below the ceiling. He thought it odd that they could have fresh air being so far underground. Just as he found it slightly disconcerting that he knew that they are underground without being told. It was as if he had simply plucked the information out of the air, off a gentle breeze without knowing the reason why. Or how.

He wishes he knew the how of it. That way, at least, he would be able to find out who he was. With the way things stand he has as much of an idea of who he was as he does of finding out who the young man sharing the room with him happened to be. He knew they had spent a good deal of time together. That they are as close as father and son, but he didn't know him from Adam.

The door swings open, moving silently on well oiled hinges. He doesn't bother to look up. He knew who it was before their large, bald head proceeded his thick body through the door. Had known who was coming before he had entered the corridor. A handful of guards fill the hall, two of them fallow General Hammond into the room.

From the top bunk the boy rolls off, his bare feet slapping against the floor. Green eyes shoot a challenge at everyone that just entered the room.

Hammonds glare takes in the teenager for several moments without lessening one once. The boy smirks, not evilly, just knowingly.

The General watches, partly fascinated, but also a little fearful, as the man looks at the youngster. A slight, disapproving scowl that the boy couldn't see unless he has eyes in the back of his head. His shoulders slump slightly, a little frown dips the corner of his lips. With an ease and grace that he finds astounding, the boy jumps back up to the top bunk, where he somehow manages to land flat on his back.

For a moment Hammond wonders if they can communicate telepathically. Some type of inherited genetic trait. If they could it would certainly explain a lot. He makes a mental note to ask Janet about the possibility.

"We have a serious problem here," he starts off without any sort of preamble.

"Tell me about it," he says lifting his eyes. "Way too much starch in these here fatigues. I think I'm beginning to chafe." It was a small grin that slips over his lips, but his blue eyes are laughing volumes.

"Damn it man," Hammond snaps. His anger bubbling over for a rare, brief moment. "This is no joking matter."

"You're right," he says unable to keep the smile from elongating fractionally.

Hammonds glare intensifies, but rolls off the stranger without making any noticeable impression. "Why don't we start with something simple? Who are you?"

"I…" He starts, eyes glazing over for a second. Images run wild through his mind. One tumbling after another and another.

**__**

A large, steel spike the size of a man's leg lifted high in air. A man, Victorian style clothes, thick, bushy mustache and side burns, lying on the ground. On railroad ties. Screaming, begging. A distant voice that seems to come from all around him. "Don't you just love irony?"

Blood. So much blood. More then he could imagine seeing in a thousand lifetimes. It is everywhere. Covering everything. It fills the air itself.

Finer then the best wines. Sweeter then nectar. It was an ambrosia like no other.

Screams, horrified, terrified screams that fill his mind. Begging pleading for mercy. A quick end that was never to come.

With the suddenness of a thunder clap everything slams back into place with the force of falling a thousand stories to land back in his body. He doesn't know why he still standing on his feet or why everybody is still waiting calmly like a hundred years haven't just past in the span of a heartbeat. Then he realizes. For them it hasn't. For them it is only the next moment while they wait for his answer.

He gives his head a shake. "… don't know," he finishes in a slight haze.

"What do you mean, you don't know?" Hammond demands. The last few hours have left his nerves well and truly frayed.

"Just what I bloody said," he hisses back. "I don't have a clue as to who I…"

More images explode inside his head.

**__**

Battles, blood. Enough to fill every single ocean on the planet ten times over. Death, carnage, excitement, the rush of killing with his bare hands.

Horses and carriages traveling the length and breath of a continent.

Continents.

Cathedrals and ballrooms, promenades filled with people and laughter and every moment a feast, a banquet, a raging war.

All of them covered in the dark of night.

Except one. Him, only different. Hair, a strange blonde color. Clothes black. Black jeans, black shirt, black leather duster.

The sun shining brightly down on him the first time in more then a century.

Angry.

Always angry.

So much pain.

There's the one responsible. The slayer. Angelic face framed by a halo of gold. Her beauty, it shines through everything. After everything that she's been through she's still so strong. No quit in her.

No matter the odds she always comes through in the end.

She could be loved for that alone.

No.

She's the one that took Dru from you. She's the one that turned your life into a mockery.

She's talking to some guy. His words hurt her.

Good. She deserves to hurt just like you.

The fight.

God it was great to fight with her. The fire in her eyes. The passion that spurs her on. Can't help but wonder what it would be like…

No. She has to die. That's the only way to prove to Dru that she only. That nobody else means to him what she does.

Have to hurt her. How to hurt her the most?

Words. Ugly words. Hurtful words. Painful words. Hateful words.

They just spill out.

Stop them. Bring them back. Can't. Too late.

"…use to be," he adds placing his right hand to the side of his head. His left hand going to the wall to steady himself.

Old Man - Neil Young

Old man look at my life,  
I'm a lot like you were.  
Old man look at my life,  
I'm a lot like you were.  
  
Old man look at my life,  
Twenty four and there's so much more  
Live alone in a paradise  
That makes me think of two.  
  
Love lost, such a cost,  
Give me things that don't get lost.  
Like a coin that won't get tossed  
Rolling home to you.  
  
Old man take a look at my life I'm a lot like you  
I need someone to love me the whole day through  
Ah, one look in my eyes and you can tell that's true.  
  
Lullabies, look in your eyes,  
Run around the same old town.  
Doesn't mean that much to me  
To mean that much to you.  
  
I've been first and last  
Look at how the time goes past.  
But I'm all alone at last.  
Rolling home to you.  
  
Old man take a look at my life I'm a lot like you  
I need someone to love me the whole day through  
Ah, one look in my eyes and you can tell that's true.  
  
Old man look at my life,  
I'm a lot like you were.  
Old man look at my life,  
I'm a lot like you were.


End file.
